Of Idiosyncrasies and Tea Leaves
by ShadowOfTheProphet
Summary: What do you get when you mix peculiarities, two British witches, and nice batch of freshly brewed tea? You get one hell of a story. (This is a work in progress. Reviews and suggestions welcomed. I own nothing other than the OC. Ratings to go up in later chapters.)
1. Introduction

_Intro:_

Idiosyncracy. By definition, the word means a behavior or characteristic that is peculiar to an individual. Everyone has an idiosyncracy or two and Sybil Trelawney is no exception.

One of her _many_ peculiar traits is her insistence on predicting at least one death at the beginning of every year. More often than not it is to one of her many students. She also has a tendency to be very eccentric and overreact to the littlest things. She always has to be wearing at least seven bangles or shawls; all varying in color. One for each of the seven centers or _chakras_ of the human body. Often times when she is bored she will use mundane items as means to base a "prophecy" off of. Making predictions more off of the likelyhood of things playing out. Putting an idea into the heads of those whom she gives her prophecy and basically letting them do the rest. She is always at least ten minutes late to a staff meeting. She hates anything that is in the color of fucshia and hates the smell of lilac because it reminds her too much of her mother. Who wasn't altogether loving to Sybil due to her "condition". She writes with her left hand but, does everything else with her right hand. She fidgets and stammers when she is nervous or unsure of herself; which is often. Sybil is a habitual sniffer, even when she is healthy. She prefers jasmine tea over darjeeling and prefers Perdo Ximenez over anything else. For those of you that don't know, PX is a white Spanish wine grape variety that is used to make a very sweet dessert sherry. She likes to sleep on the left side of the bed and always has to keep at least one light on. She detests the taste of vinegar and I'm willing to bet you didn't know that she dots her I's with little swirls.

Sybil spends most of her spare time in her tower at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; where she teaches Divination about three times a week. She feels infierior to her colleagues and knows that she is looked down upon by most of them. Her position at the school is shakey at best and she is at risk of losing it with almost every step she takes. Anxiety attacks are a given for her and when in the presence of others, she chalks it down to the atmosphere's affects on her 'inner eye'. She drowns her sorrows in sherry nearly every chance she gets. Depression is one of her only friends. Did you know she cries herself to sleep most nights? At least she does when she hasn't drunk herself into a stupor.

Forgive me, I seem to be rambling now and I have realized that I have yet to indroduce myself. My name is Larissa Anne Bailey. Most people call me Lara, so I suppose you can too. And now that that is out of the way I do believe that we should move on with our story. My thought process on the subject of our dear Divination Professor was getting rather melancoly, wouldn't you say? I could go on and on with this way of thinking, however I am sure that by now you are wondering why I am telling you all these things or why any of it even matters. Well, the simple answer to that is this. For every fake prophecy. Every exaggerated move of her hands. For all of her strange little quirks that send my heart racing faster than a seeker on the newest racing broom. I love her.

I love her with all my heart and with every aspect of my very soul. Needless to say I shall continue to do so until my last breath. And that simple fact is the very reason why I married her.

But, I am afraid I am getting ahead of myself. Let us first go to the most important part of any good story. The beginning. Our story begins with one of the most crucial aspects of nearly any and all European life.

It begins, with a cup of tea.

 **End of 1st person POV... To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 1

**Of Idiosyncrasies and Tea Leaves **

_**Prologue:**_

 _ **On 22nd of November in the year of 1910 the Ministry of Magic passed a law that legalized the marriage of all same sexed couples under the Minister Venusia Crickerly (1903-1912). However, these marriages were not formally recognized and although legal they were 'kept under-wraps'. It wasn't until January 1st of 1973 under Minister Eugenia Jenkins (1968-1975) that same sex marriage was formally recognized. Any and all marriages of this type that happened before this date were not recognized as formally married and therefore many were not seen as or considered married.**_

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

A cup of tea. Not just any cup of tea either, a cup of Jasmine Oolong tea served at a perfect 180 degrees Fahrenheit; piping hot with that clean, floral taste and a plate of little cream puffs to calm her senses. The woman always ordered the same thing and always at the same time.

Larissa glanced at the ornate clock that hung above the mantle. The hands had ticked by right on schedule; noon, right on the dot.

The woman was kind of hard to miss. After working at the Starling Tea Shop and Boutique for as long as she had, Larissa tended to catch on to the regular customers. Larissa had noticed this woman right from the beginning. Was it because she was the first person that she had ever served tea to her first day on the job? Or was it the woman's odd sense of style? The wild sand colored locks of hair that seemed to surround her head and shoulder's like a cloud but, always held back by that sunflower headband? The clothing the practically screamed, "Gypsy!"? Or perhaps it was those large, circular glasses that seemed so out of place as they were perched on her nose? Maybe the way she stared into the bottom of her cup when she had drained the tea from it? Whatever it was, the woman was strange. And Larissa? Larissa was hooked.

Larissa had a hard time acknowledging it at first. The fact that this strange creature that just suddenly breezed into her life on a rainy afternoon in August of '67. Larissa could recall how the blonde had come into the shop practically looking like a drenched mop, sat down at a table in the far corner of the shop and ordered her tea and cream puffs. Her thick yet airy voices hitting Larissa like a shock wave. It happened that very day, when Larissa had come back with her order and saw her with those thick glasses in hand just cleaning off the rain spatter. Seeing the woman's eyes; eyes that were a misty, sea foam green and seemed to stare right into Larissa's soul. It took about a month to get over the odd feeling before Larissa realized that she was actually attracted to this stranger.

After that the woman showed up every Tuesday and Thursday at noon and ordered the same thing. Always from Larissa it seemed. That was confirmed after the sixth visit when she asked for Larissa by name. The two never really spoke other than the usual pleasantries a waitress would exchange with a customer. Today, however, Larissa was looking to change that.

The day had been rather slow, only a few people had stopped by the shop so Larissa was determined that if the pattern kept up she would finally sit down and talk to the lady and finally learn the witch's name.

Noon came and right on schedule the woman entered the shop. And now Larissa was standing behind the counter, cleaning tea cups, and practically shaking in her boots. Some Gryffindor she turned out to be. There was a tap on her shoulder and Larissa turned her anxious brown eyes to see the amused blue eyes of her Boss Cosmo Starling.

"You do realize that you have been standing behind this counter, cleaning the same cup and staring at her for the past half hour.", Cosmo said with a smirk as he leaned against the counter, propped his elbow up, and rested his prominent chin in his hand.

"Oh back off, will ya? I'm working up to it… Just gotta convince my legs to move and my mind to communicate properly with my mouth…", Larissa mumbled and set down the now thoroughly cleaned cup.

Cosmo was a dear, he gave her this job when she needed it most and had been a great friend. He had noticed the way Larissa looked at the blonde woman when she had first come into the shop. Larissa was pretty good at keeping things to herself but, when it came down to it she was pretty easy to read. Body language has a tendency to give even the most stoic of people away. But, Cosmo would not deny that Larissa had a strong Poker Face. He had told her as much and even called her that on occasion. She was a kindred spirit to him. The fact that she was showing an interest in someone of the same sex was of no surprise to him and he being a gay man himself had no qualms with the matter. He brought it up with her one night over a dram and showed a rather 'fatherly' side to Larissa when she had a panic attack about it. Never having come face to face with this sort of thing. Although she was aware of Cosmo's sexuality, she never let it make her feel uncomfortable and found she herself had no issues with it whatsoever. Given her up bringing, that surprised her. Cosmo had been trying to convince Larissa to talk the woman for months but, every time he watched her get close enough she seemed to freeze up and run with her tail between her legs.

He shook his head, his shoulder length salt and pepper hair swaying with the movement. He watched Larissa as she seemed to fidget trying to find something, anything to look at other than him and the woman in the far corner. He then cast his eyes back over to the table the woman sat at and noticed that she would occasionally cast her wide eyes over the shop only to rest them on Larissa before she would look back to her tea cup or out of the window. After a moment he noticed that she had finished up and drink and sat back.

Cosmo nudged Larissa with his elbow. Larissa looked over at him with the slightest glare through her square framed glasses. "Well don't look now, Casanova but that is your cue. Now get over there and don't blow it."

Larissa looked over sharply and noticed that the woman had sat back and that was indeed her cue to go fetch the dishes from her table before collecting the bill. She gulped and groaned dramatically but, not so much that it would attract too much attention. Straightening up, Larissa walked around the counter and headed to her target.

Arriving at the table Larissa gathered the empty plate and napkins from the table. Pausing she glanced over at the lady. She was still sitting back and staring into the bottom of her cup with a peculiar smile on her face. _'Wow, she has a nice smile.. AH! Focus Lara..'_

Larissa sat up and stood beside her with a sort of puzzled expression before she quirked an eyebrow.

"You know," Larissa started and the woman glanced up at her; Larissa could see her eyebrows lift behind her thick circular glasses, "I've seen you stare into your cup before but, I can't say that I've seen you smile at it like that…"

The blonde smirked and set her cup down. Her long fingers stretching around her cup to caress the rim of it and Larissa couldn't help but, follow the sweet movement.

"Oh really? And just how often have you… Noticed me… Staring at my cup?"

Larissa could feel her face heating up and she glanced down instinctively as she could feel the empty plate shifting slightly out of her hand. She heard the woman give a deep, airy chuckle and looked up at her over her glasses. She could feel herself holding onto the plate like a lifeline. The woman leaned forward, her eyes wide and large and ever so blue through the magnified lenses. Her long arms stretched across the table making her bangles jingle and the beads of her necklace click-clack against the wood surface. Her hands stopped on the smooth surface and she patted it while she nodded her head to the empty seat across from her.

"Why don't you sit with me for a moment?"

"Uhhh…," Larissa looked over her shoulder toward where she left Cosmo, who was looking on with interest. When he noticed her looking at him, he jerked himself up and proceeded to 'clean' the already spotless counter top. The woman looked around her body to where Larissa was looking then back up to Larissa.

"Come now, Larissa, I'm sure he won't mind." Larissa whipped around to stare at her with her own eyes widened with slightly gaping mouth. She was still stretched across the table, tea cup sitting perfectly between her outstretched arms; undisturbed. "Just for a moment." She patted the table again.

Larissa looked back at Cosmo who was still 'cleaning' before shrugging and sitting down. The woman didn't sit back up from her playfully odd position until Larissa was sat opposite her. She smiled. "Good, good. Now usually I am not so forward, as you are well aware, dear Larissa, but today is a special day." She looked positively giddy as she clapped her hands together and rubbed them like some mad scientist.

"Um.. It is?"

"Oh yes, you see the leaves told me so."

Larissa sat back and looked at the woman like she had grown another head before she tilted her own to the side and looked at her curiously. "The leaves… Told you so?" Larissa said slowly.

The woman nodded vigorously. "The tea leaves, dear." She picked up her empty cup and nearly shot across the table as she thrust the cup under Larissa's nose.

Larissa for her part sat back quickly, nearly tipping the chair over with her in it. Larissa looked at the cup at the insistent stare of the woman. Looking into the cup she saw the remnants of tea leaves that seemed to be just a bunch of small black dots in a mesh to her. Larissa moved her eyes back up to the woman and said, "I'm sorry but, I'm not sure what it is I am supposed to be looking at here."

The woman sat back with a bit of disappointment shinning in her eyes and Larissa knew right away that she didn't like seeing that look on the woman's face. She wanted that crazy smile back.

"Would you explain it to me?" She said and the woman looked up at her in what Larissa thought may have been surprise. "What is it you see? In the leaves?"

The woman set the up down without taking her eyes off of Larissa. "You…You mean you actually want to know?"

Larissa shrugged but, looked curious nonetheless. "Well, yeah, I mean if you want to tell me that is. I mean you don't have to but, I just wanted to know what it is that made you smile like that.."

"Like what?" The woman asked.

Larissa could feel her face heat up again and ran a hand across the back of her neck, feeling the short black hairs brush against her finger tips from her pixie cut hair. "Uh well, like you were seeing something there that made you… I dunno, hopeful? Happy? Eager?"

She gave a small smile and the woman smiled back before saying softly and moving the cup toward Larissa again; who leaned forward to look into the porcelain, "You see there? The leaves have formed what looks like a rose. Roses can have different meanings for different people usually but, the universal sign of the rose is passion and romance."

The woman was staring at Larissa who was staring at the cup with a face full of red. "Ah, passion and romance… Right… Woah, hang on a second." Larissa said finally looking up and holding her hands up slightly in the sign to halt. "How is it you know what this is saying? That there is even a what? Rose symbol in those little tea remnants?"

The woman got a look of slighted and sat back in a huff. "I am a Seer after all. It's what I do. Divination is my calling. My Great Grandmother was Casandra Trelawney, you know. Not everyone in my family has the gift but, I happened to get lucky."

"A Seer?" Larissa asked, "You mean like you're a sort of Fortune Teller or?..."

The woman set some sickles down on the table before grabbing her beaded, carpet bag from the floor and marching off.

Larissa held her hands out to her sides in confusion before turning to look at Cosmo who stood watching. Mr. Starling rolled his eyes before thrusting the rag in his hands toward the door the… Seer just went through. So Larissa stood and hastened after her, snapping her fingers and making her apron disappear to the coat rack in the back on the store before rushing out of the door. Walking out in the less than busy street of Diagon Alley, it wasn't that difficult to locate the wild blonde curls that belonged to the Seer. So Larissa took of down the cobbled stone street. Dodging the other witches and wizards that ambled about. Her leather boots clacking against the stone. She nearly ran past the woman before she skidded to a halt in front of her out of breath and holding her hands up in front of her so as to stop the other woman's forward movement. Larissa stared up at the woman, only realizing now just how much shorter she was than her before she shook herself and stood upright. The Seer was clinging to her carpet bag and staring at Larissa incredulously. Larissa took a deep breath before addressing her.

"Please," Larissa started off unsurely." I didn't mean to offend you… It's just not something one hears in every day conversation." Larissa stood awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck with a nervous smile and chuckle," And it's not everyday that you get to meet a Seer."

The woman continued to hold her bag in front of her like she was placing up a ward.

Larissa sighed, "Look I really am sorry. Our first legitimate conversation and I mucked it up. I've never been one for things like that and am not much of a people person." She looked at her with pleading eyes. "I reeeaaalllyyy didn't mean to upset you. I was just curious. I'm not really schooled on the subject or… uh… in-tune with the wonders of the universe."

The woman shifted slightly and seemed to relax. Her eyes pierced Larissa and the peculiar smile was back. And yet again, Larissa could feel her legs turn to stone and she couldn't help but, stare.

"Then perhaps you and I could get a little more acquainted. Say, over a cup of tea? Maybe then I could show you what you have been missing with your lack of schooling on the art of the divine." She gave a delicate giggle at her own joke and her face seemed to light up even though it was hidden behind her glasses.

Larissa smirked and could feel her chest tighten with…excitement? The butterflies filling her stomach almost threatened to burst through her flesh. "Art of the divine, aye? I would like that."

"Perfect!" The Seer handed her a scrap of parchment and then moved past Larissa and headed down the road.

Larissa stared at the folded parchment in her hand with a smile before something hit her and whirled around in the direction the other woman was walking.

"Hang on! I still don't know your name!"

The woman just looked over her shoulder with that strange smile as she melted into the growing crowd and seemingly vanished. Larissa cursed to herself before looking at the parchment. There written in blue ink was an address and clear name.

 _Sybil. Her name was Sybil._

 **TBC…**


End file.
